Soho Archives: This small exhibition at the Photographers’ Gallery depicts the explosion of the bohemian and youth culture of Soho in the 1950s and 1960s, BJP reporter Pauline Lockwood writes.

Three sets of photographs represent Soho throughout the two decades. All explicitly or implicitly reflect the phenomenon of sexual liberation.
Jean Straker’s pictures do so most overtly and daringly, considering the 1950s social norms. They are all studio based with limited props, and have a very strong emphasis on female nudity. The pictures are accompanied with a few press reviews of the time, which display shock headlines such as ‘A married man: “Tonight for the first time I’ve seen a woman without any clothes.”

The messy and overflowing scenes of The Daily Herald Newspaper pictures depict Soho’s crazy nightlife. The crammed nightclubs and exuberant youth make today’s Soho feel sombre…

In the final set of pictures, David Hurn explores the world of Soho strippers on stage and behind the scenes. He strikes a contrast between the two aspects of a stripper’s life. The backstage is more welcoming as the girls share gossip and laugh together. Comparatively, the stage lacks warmth and character and underlines the strictly business nature it may have for the girls.

Soho Archives, 1950s &1960s, will be the last exhibition at the Photographers’ Gallery’s current location. It will be moving into a larger building on Ramillies Street in December.

Soho Archives
Runs until 16 November
Website: www.photonet.org.uk/index.php

The long-awaited exhibition This Is War! Robert Capa at Work, plus Gerda Taro and The Subject of War is opening in London at the Barbican Art Gallery.

Robert Capa - Death of a Loyalist militiaman, Cerro Muriano, Córdoba front, Spain, September 5, 1936 © Cornell Capa/Magnum - International Center of Photography

The exhibition is the first to show never-before-seen prints from negatives recovered in the Mexican Suitcases. But, contrary to previous reports, the exhibition does not feature any new images taken by Robert Capa. The exhibition covers most of Capa's work from the Spanish War to the Second World War.

Capa's girlfriend, Gerda Taro, is also the subject of her own exhibition. 'We wanted o look at her as a photographer in her own right,' said curator Cynthia Young at the opening. The exhibition features two new prints obtained from the Mexican Suitcases.

The first print is that of Gustavo Duran on a motorcycle in Navacerrada Pass, Spain. The photo was taken in late May or early June 1937 and was published in Capa and Taro's 1938 book Death in the Making. However, no print existed of the image, which explains why it was not included in the 2007 exhibition in New York.

The second print is of a Dead Soldier on Segovia front also taken around early June 1937. The image appeared in Life magazine's two-page memorial tribute to Taro on 16 August 1937. While, the negative, recovered in the Mexican Suitcases, has a marking indicating that it was selected by the photographer for printing, no vintage print existed in the ICP collection.

The ICP has also found additional shots of the Dead Soldier, as well as the one of two republican soldiers carrying another one on a stretcher (below). In both cases, Young says, Taro moved around her subject to take it under different angles. For example, the ICP found six variations of the Dead Soldier image among the Mexican negatives.

Gerda Taro - Two Republican soldiers with a soldier on a stretcher, Navacerrada Pass, Segovia front, Spain - Late May–early June 1937 © International Center of Photography

However, Capa and Taro are not the only photographers to see their work shown at the Barbican's war exhibition. Geert van Kesteren's work on the Iraq war published in two books Why Mister Why? and Baghdad Calling is also featured, along side films and images by An My-Le, Omer Fast and Paul Chan.

The exhibition runs until 25 January. For more information, visit barbican.org.uk/artgallery. For more details about the Capa and Taro retrospective, read BJP's full report.

Come and meet with BJP's team and this year's winner of our International Photography Award: Beso Uznadze.

When: Tuesday 25 November at 6.30pm.
Where: The Association of Photographers' Gallery, 81 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4QS.

Beso Uznadze's stunning images of Georgians both at home and in London, which won the portfolio category award, will take up most of the Association of Photographers' gorgeous split-level space. But his work will also be joined by World Press Photo award-winner Walter Astrada's shot of a Guatemalan femicide victim - a shot so powerful it took the single image prize. The prints are currently being made up by Spectrum Photos, one of Europe's leading fine art printers, and both photographers have also won a Canon EOS 5D MkII - an upgrade from the 5D - courtesy of Canon.

The exhibition will run until 29 November.

With only a week left before Michael Joseph’s iconic images are put in temporary storage, its time for all die hard Rolling Stoners to head to Soho’s Blink Gallery to enjoy the visual delights that the Beggars Banquet Collection has to offer.

Picture courtesy of the Soho’s Blink Gallery.

Michael Joseph’s legendary images, dating back to 1968, were commissioned for the Rolling Stones’ Beggars Banquet album, and remain a faithful example of his trademark use of large group scenes with people and animals interacting.

Although Brian Jones had been busted for drugs the day before, the results of the two day shoot, which took place at Sarum Chase, the former home of Victorian society painter Frank Owen Salisbury, and Swarkestone, built in 1632 for bear-baiting and jousting, are more than a sight for sore eyes.

The images range from atmospheric black and white portraits of Mick Jagger, captivating in their nonchalance, to the juxtaposition of washed out background colour and the bright Victorian-inspired styling in the group shots.

A fine art quality transpires this collection, allowing surreal scenes involving goats, cows and the four, often bored, Rolling Stones, to inhabit a regal dining room and relax in its opulence. Lucky for some, eh?

Although it is more than a travesty that over 75% of the images have never been exhibited or seen by the public before, luckily, all Michael Joseph and Rolling Stones enthusiasts have at least a week to feast their eyes on music’s most notorious banquet.

Getty Images Gallery used the Beatles as bait to reel in the first viewers to the opening of their permanent exhibition space at the film museum – The Movieum of London. Marina Scukina was there to report.

Robert Whitaker posing in front of a photo of a younger self taking a photo of George Harrison © Marina Scukina

The exhibition uncovered a lush collection of Robert Whitaker’s unseen photographs following the legendary rock band on its 1966 Far Eastern Tour. Celebrating the 40th anniversary since the Beatles played their last live performance the retrospective featured images from 1963 to 1970, including scenes from the filming of Help and A Hard Day’s Night.

Whitaker revealed that most of his displayed photographs were shot on 35mm black-and-white film catching the ups and downs of the Rock’n’Roll lifestyle. ‘Do you miss it?’ I asked Whitaker and he admitted he had not changed his way of life in slightest.

The photographer hadn’t seen most of the images for years and felt excited viewing the exhibition. ‘I get knocked out,’ Mr W. said.

‘The gallery is a result of successful partnerships,’ said Alison Crombie, Getty Images senior communication director, who emphasized the need of collaboration between different mediums. At the time of recession mutual professional aid has turned out being more profitable for all areas of business, including art and photography, and the increasing need for support is becoming a new form of media communication.

Rumours had it Paul McCartney would arrive to the exhibition but his yellow submarine never parked on the Thames outside The Movieum. When I asked Whitaker whether he still stays in touch with the Beatles members he replied through a cheeky grin, ‘Why should I?’

The Getty Images Gallery is already planning more exhibitions of images sourced from their Hulton Archive focusing on films, music and entertainment.

The documentary collection of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison photographs is available at the Movieum of London, Riverside rooms, until the end of June.

For more information, visit www.themovieum.com.

Outside Pentonville prison where their friend was being hanged, London, 1958 © Philip Jones Griffiths / Magnum Photots, courtesy Trolley Books.

One year ago tomorrow (19 March), Philip Jones Griffiths died, but as Michael Grieve writes in this week's issue of BJP, his legacy lives on in the book he edited in his final days - Recollections. Just out now, the book comes almost four decades after Griffiths released his first legendary book, Vietnam Inc. That book proved photography's potential to change perceptions as it is widely credited as having been instrumental in ending the Vietnam War.

Griffiths, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2000, spent the last years of his life editing Recollections. Unfortunately, he died before its publication. But, as Tony Benn told Griffiths in a letter (see it in full below) 'it must be some comfort to you to know that your work will outlast all the speeches and posturing of politicians with their spin doctors and will reveal more about the arguments of our times than you can get from leading articles or BBC programmes.'

The letter, which appears in the back pages of Recollections, can be read in full below.
Also, read Michael Grieve's tribute to Griffiths and Recollections in this week's issue of BJP here.

‘Everyone has a story to tell, but not everyone is able to tell it.’ That’s the rational behind the New Exposure initiative. In association with UNHCR (the United Nations Refugee Agency, Olympus and the Department for International Development, the Living in Exile project is the latest that sees people affected by under-reported issues documenting their lives through photography. New Exposure provides them with digital cameras and professional advice.

Living In Exile looks at the plight of Iraqi refugees in Syria. ‘It is thought that around two million people have fled Iraq since the invasion in 2003. The majority of these people live in the neighbouring state of Syria. Those Iraqis who fled their homes into neighbouring countries have found themselves in an increasingly fragile position. Many of these refugees have suffered great trauma at home and struggle to cope in a foreign country. Formal employment is not permitted, their savings are rapidly depleting and many refugees depend on UNHCR for vital assistance, healthcare and schooling.’

In the summer of 2008, New Exposure worked with a group of young Iraqis who sought refuge in Damascus. British photographers spent one month teaching them the basics of photography and talking about their lives as refugees. The resulting images will be on show until 21 June at the St-Matin-in-the-Fields Crypt on Trafalgar Square in London. For more information, visit www.newexposure.org.

Sonalle Photography: Ethnic Minorities Coming Out is on show at Rich Mix, London until 04 Oct6ober, before travelling to venues around London over the next year. For more info see richmix.org.uk or sonalle.com

For a long time coming to terms with being gay has been haunted by the notion of ‘coming out’. Like a confession, the prospect of spilling the beans is painless for some but for others it’s stressful, even traumatic, as Sonalle’s new exhibition reflects, Alex Christofides writes.

The most recent in a series of exhibitions called ‘Ethnic Minorities Coming Out’, confronts issues surrounding homosexuality and surfaces personal experiences of ‘coming out’ in ethnic minorities. It offers an intimate, heartfelt and subtle insight into lives affected by narrow mindedness and stigma.

Sonalle in her own words tries to ‘deliver an insight into detail we may not always perceive, or that we sometimes try to ignore’. She documents a range of subjects from various backgrounds at different stages of the coming out process; some have already come out, some are in the process, while others are thinking about it.

It is a sensitive topic and Sonalle handles with care: if subjects felt uncomfortable at any point she concealed their identity. Photographing an expressive part of the body instead. She uses appealing natural light throughout, capturing details effectively, and text alongside each image also helps explain each individual story.

It’s a well-executed show. It is ambiguous in places though, which evokes a sense of mystery and hidden identity at the cost of narrative strength.

Sonnalle has been on the road for almost a decade, but she’s now returned to London assisting Magnum photographer, Mr. Chris Steele-Perkins. She aims to continue with her own work, using issue-based assignments to raise the public consciousness.

With just over a week left for the exhibition at the Michael Hoppen Gallery, a date with the model-turned-photographer’s iconic ladies should be top of your to-do list this weekend, writes Susanne Hauner.

Bitch! Paris 2007 © Ellen von Unwerth courtesy Michael Hoppen Gallery

‘It’s good to shock a little. It’s not good to always be careful,’ Ellen von Unwerth says about the photos in her exhibition Fräulein. But she could as well be talking about her subjects. Whether her models pose boldly amidst warm, vibrant scenes or are captured in black-and-white snapshots with just a hint of voyeurism, von Unwerth’s images all speak with one voice: The women portrayed are having fun; they embrace their sexuality and use it. Although von Unwerth’s work is charged with femininity and erotic intrigue, her subjects never seem objectified – rather, they take control of the picture.

To coincide with the release of the limited edition monograph Fräulein on 25 November, Michael Hoppen is housing a collection of von Unwerth’s personal favourites and never previously seen images from the last 15 years. Famous faces among the 39 prints exhibited include Liz Hurley, Dita von Teese, Raquel Welch, Christina Aguilera and Drew Barrymore.

A supermodel for ten years before she moved behind the lens, Ellen von Unwerth is known for her playful and sassy images and her extensive work with female icons in fashion, film and music.

The exhibition runs until 21 November. Visit www.michaelhoppengallery.com for more information.

Since the first draw on 19 November 1994 the National Lottery has created more than 2300 millionaires. What to do with those lotto millions? Edmond Terakopian decided to find out, and the results are on show at Fulham Palace until 22 November.

Marking the 15th anniversary of the National Lottery, the exhibition shows the dreams lotto millionaires fulfilled with their prize money, from classic buys to life-changing ones. The 15 portraits on show include a shot of Thea Bistow, who won £15m in July 2004, flying over the 13 acres of woodland she bought to save it from housing development.

Lotto millionaire Thea Bistow, photographed by Edmond Terakopian

Edmond Terakopian, the 2006 British Press Awards Photographer of the Year and a World Press Photo award winner, spent five months travelling the UK and ventured as far afield as Canada to compile the images. The National Lottery has raised some £23 billion raised for Good Causes, supporting the arts, sport, education, environment and charity in communities across the UK.

The exhibition runs from 14 – 22 November. For more information visit www.fulhampalace.org.

VII Photo member Ron Haviv was in Haiti less than 24 hours after the earthquake devastated Port au Prince. His work is now part of an exhibition held at VII Dumbo, the Brooklyn-based VII gallery in New York. BJP talks to the photographer about his work.

BJP: How did you get to Haiti? Were you on assignment or did you choose to go yourself?
Ron Haviv: I flew on the first morning flight to Santo Domingo. On the flight I met up with several other photographers and we chartered a flight to Port Au Prince.
The night of the earthquake I as well as VII contacted numerous editors but no one was interested in sending me at the time.

BJP: What did you see when you got there? What was the extend of the devastation?
Ron Haviv: Upon arrival at the airport there was some damage and once outside the terminal I encountered a normal Haitian experience of people with cars waiting for passengers. As we drove towards the city we started to see destruction and bodies on the streets.

BJP: How did you go about reporting from Haiti? What were your resources? What were your editorial choices?
Ron Haviv: I, as normal, worked with another photographer, hired a driver and eventually an interpreter. We stayed at a hotel that had some damage but had periodic power and even wifi in the first week. Water was the only difficulty but we were able to take water from the pool for basic showers etc. The story was pretty obvious and it was all around us. The impact on the people was found in multiple ways. I spent time going from medical facilities, makeshift morgues, people living on the streets to looting and rescues.

BJP: Were you able to help?
Ron Haviv: On several occasions my colleagues and I were made aware of people that were trapped. At the collapsed MSF hospital they were having trouble finding a rescue team. With an MSF staffer we were able to convince a multinational rescue team to come and extract a man that had been trapped for four days. At another location a frantic mother flagged us down and we found a rescue team from New York who came and searched the home unfortunately to no avail.

BJP: Your work is now part of the Haiti: 12 January exhibition. What is the thinking behind this show and its fundraiser?
Ron Haviv: In conjunction with the worldwide effort to keep Haiti alive in the thoughts of the world and to raise funds, people from Tufts University near Boston decided to fund a book with all proceeds going to Partners in Health. The exhibit is an expanded version of the book and is accompanied by a multi-media production that was produced by telegraph21.com.

BJP: There is also an unusual book produced for the exhibition. What can we find in there?
Ron Haviv: The idea is that this book can be used by schools and others who want to have their own exhibitions to raise funds for Haiti. The book is 16 20x30 inch posters with images from myself and words from Simon Winchester.

BJP: You seem to be working across different media more often these days, developing one idea or one subject across print, event, video, etc. Do you see it as a requirement in today’s world to make a larger impact or to get the story out to as many people as possible?
Ron Haviv: In today's world of fragmented media it is imperative that we as photographers multi-platform our projects in order to reach as many people as possible. It simply is not enough for our work to appear in just a magazine, a book or a website alone. Each way of communicating can reach a different audience. This enables the photographer to get the message across in many ways.

Haiti: January 12 runs until 26 March at VII Dumbo, 28 Jay Street, Brooklyn NY 11201, USA. For more information, visit viiphoto.com.